Taking a bite of her apple, Dallin leaned against the doorframe leading into the living room and smiled at the young woman sitting on the couch. Winters was in the kitchen, brewing coffee and trying to calm his nerves down. It was the end of his fourth date with Ethel Estoppey. She was an attractive slender woman, with blonde hair and bright eyes. Dallin found the whole thing cute and amusing because Winters was often shy around Ethel. And perhaps, a little clumsy.
Hearing something clatter in the kitchen, Dallin smirked.
Ethel raised her eyebrow and asked her;
"is he always like this?"
Shaking her head, Dallin snorted;
"never…you make him very flustered, Ethel".
Ethel smiled;
"suppose that's a compliment, Dallin".
"It is". She confirmed, "he never stops talking about you…he really likes you".
"Well…he's a kind man". Ethel said, "I suppose my parents should meet him one day".
"He is good with parents". Dallin told her, "he is good with everyone".
"It's only right that he meets my parents, I've already met some of his family".
Dallin frowned a little;
"who?"
Ethel smiled;
"you, of course". She said, "he really loves you, Dallin. Like a sister".
Nodding, Dallin smiled softly;
"yes…I love him too…please, don't hurt him".
Shaking her head, Ethel assured her;
"I couldn't, Dallin. He only deserves kindness".
One month had passed since their trip to Clinchco and Dallin was still suffering. She spent most of her time alone, in her bedroom with Felix trying to cheer her up while Winters worked. She was lost and didn't know what to do with her life. Winters had met someone, and he was falling in love with Ethel. Dallin was happy for them, but it was a painful reminder that Shifty had moved on. Giving Ethel a tiny smile first, Dallin walked into the kitchen and tossed a half-eaten apple into the bin.
Sighing, she mumbled;
"I hate apples".
"Then why are you eating them?" Winters asked.
Shrugging, she leaned against the counter;
"to humble myself".
He snorted;
"because you only ate apples in Holland?"
"Yes, Dick". Dallin muttered, "exactly…I humble myself".
Clearing his throat, Winters told her;
"I wrote to Shifty".
She frowned at him;
"why?"
"Because he had to know you showed up".
Shaking her head, Dallin mumbled to the ground;
"he does not need to know that…he is married".
"Yeah, he married a girl he hardly knows". Winters said, "and that person isn't you. That's the problem".
Sighing heavily, Dallin muttered;
"I am trying to…move on".
He huffed;
"no offence, Dill-"
"I am already offended".
"Well…you're not doing very well". Winters told her, "you barely leave your room, you don't eat much and when was the last time you showered?"
Pulling a face, Dallin looked at him;
"I smell, do I?"
"Yeah, a little". He admitted, "I just want you to be okay, trooper".
"It will be Christmas in three weeks". Dallin whispered, "maybe I am…also sad about that".
Frowning, Winters told her;
"I get it…it's not an easy holiday anymore".
Dallin felt a shiver roll down her spine;
"anyway…Ethel spends the night, yes?"
Winters nodded;
"uh…yeah…but don't let on that you know".
Pushing herself off the counter, she mumbled;
"I am wearing earplugs".
"Dill!" Winters exclaimed, "keep those comments to yourself".
With a sigh, he added;
"it's hard treating you like an adult when you say such childish things".
Dallin smirked up at him;
"enjoy your night…".
Reaching her bedroom, she closed the door. Felix was lying on her bed, sprawled out and fast asleep. It was almost half ten, Dallin hadn't had an early night for a while. She went to bed late and slept in every morning. She didn't see the point in getting up early, there was nothing to get up for.
Their street was a quiet place at night.
It seemed everyone turned in early expect Dallin.
Outside, it poured down with cold winters rain. Dallin could hear the raindrops hit her window. Pulling back the curtain a little, she looked out into the night. The streetlamps were on but there was no activity on her street. It was like a ghost town when it got dark. Sometimes she had an urge to go out and explore at night, but fear kept her inside.
And Winters. He'd never let her out during the night.
When Dallin saw bight headlights from a car drive up to her street, she was a little surprised to find that their quiet suburb had a visitor. It parked a few houses down and the driver turned off the lights. Dallin watched the driver sit inside the car for a few moments before getting out into the pouring rain. Once outside, the person didn't move. Their eyes and head looked around the street as if trying to find a particular house.
When the figure stood under a streetlamp, Dallin could feel her eyes widen a little.
And her breath got caught in her throat.
Blinking a few times, she sharply got up and ran out of her room.
Racing down the stairs, her feet pounded against each step. Pulling the front door open, she walked outside, with no shoes and coat on. In fact, Dallin was wearing her pyjamas. Standing under the cold rain, she was soon soaked. Running towards the fence, she jumped over it and felt an icy blast rush up her body when her feet landed in a cold puddle.
The person standing under the lamp turned towards the sound.
And he soon exclaimed;
"Dallin! What the hell are you doing?! You'll freeze-"
"Joey!" She called back, running towards him, "I saw you from the window! And I ran out-"
"yeah, I got that!" Liebgott grinned, "you ran out to see me, huh?"
She stopped in front of him and looked up into his eyes.
Shaking her head, she said;
"I thought you…you did not want to see me again?"
With a shrug, Liebgott told her;
"what can I say? Guess I missed you".
"You did?"
"Of course, Dallin". He said, "we've been by each other's side for…for a long fucking time".
Rubbing the back of his neck, he told her;
"you remember in Holland? We were retreating from that fucking village and you and Meth got held up someplace?"
She nodded;
"yes…I crawl through tunnel of shit, Joey".
Liebgott smiled;
"right…well, I was just thinking 'bout that a lot these past couple of years. I just – dammit, Dallin, you know I ain't good at this shit…".
Shaking her head, Dallin assured him;
"I know…you just, speak your mind, Joey. I will understand".
With a sigh, Liebgott said;
"you went to Veghel for me…and you joined that Crossroads battle because I was there".
Dallin nodded;
"I did". She confirmed quietly.
"There's a fucking reason, Shifty fucked that girl in London, Dill…and there's a reason he moved on from you and got married".
Liebgott had always been blunt with Dallin.
"And I hate to tell you that, sweetheart…believe me, I do". Liebgott expressed, "but he moved on and he was never sure 'bout you…but I always was".
Dallin's eyes widened a little.
Liebgott sighed again;
"look…I wanted to kiss you, way back in training. It took me two years to work up the courage to actually fucking do it…I can't give you the life Shifty promised you, Dallin. I ain't a country boy, I'm shit at hunting and I don't go fishing. There's 'gonna be days where I stare at nothing and I won't 'wanna do much…but I'll always be there for you. I can be distant but I'm loyal, Dill. I'd never fuck you around. I'm a city boy, rough around the edges but I'd never hurt you. And you can do whatever you 'wanna do, you can go to college. I'll work, Dallin. I'll give you a home and I'll give you a good life. We don't have to start a family right away; we don't even have to get married right away. I just 'wanna…be with you".
Tears mixed with rain rolled down her cheeks.
Licking her bottom lip, Dallin nodded slowly and whispered;
"come inside, Joey…".
She took his hand;
"let's…get dry".
Swallowing, Liebgott asked her;
"what about Winters?"
Shrugging one shoulder, Dallin assured him;
"he is very busy with his girlfriend".
Liebgott looked amused;
"he's got a girl?"
Lips twitching, she gave his hand a pull;
"come on, Joey…we will freeze out here".
…
Early the next morning, Dallin walked into the kitchen to find Winters making coffee alone. Ethel must have still been asleep. And Dallin assumed Winters was going to make her breakfast in bed. Moving by him to grab a cup, Dallin reached up and took the first one her fingers touched. Placing that cup down, she reached up to grab another.
"I've already made one, trooper". Winters told her.
"Oh…it is not for you".
"Then who?"
With a tiny smirk, she told him;
"Joey".
Winters looked shocked;
"Liebgott's here?"
"Yes, he spends the night-"
"in your bed?"
"Yes".
"With you in that same bed?" Winters questioned.
Dallin sighed;
"Dick…I will be twenty-five next year".
"I don't care if you're thirty, Dallin Gorski…if a man is spending the night with you, I 'wanna know about it". Winters told her firmly.
Smirking again, she teased;
"why…so you can watch?"
"Dallin!" Winters scolded, "I'm serious".
Rolling her eyes with a tiny chuckle, Dallin nodded;
"okay…I agree with those terms, Dick".
"Thank you". He expressed, "so – uh – what's 'gonna happen next?"
Shrugging, Dallin poured coffee out into the mugs;
"I don't know…last night was lovely but…I don't know".
Quietly, Dallin added;
"he distanced himself for two years…and didn't talk to anyone. He was lost, Dick".
Winters frowned;
"is he alright now?"
"Yes, he has plans". She told him, "Joey will work as a barber".
"Where?"
"Wherever I am". Dallin replied, "it is up to me".
Winters smiled small;
"that's nice of him…so, you two are an item?"
She snorted;
"Dick…our relationship is very casual right now, no labels. We will see what happens".
"Oh, how very modern". He remarked with a smirk, "whatever makes you happy, Dill".
Grabbing their coffees, Dallin walked back up the stairs and into her messy room. Liebgott was sitting up, hair sticking up and a sleepy smile on his face. With a smile of her own, she put the coffee down and sat down on her bed. Liebgott moved towards her and kissed her neck;
"you're amazing".
She nodded;
"yes…I know…I am sex Goddess".
He chuckled quietly;
"you're not exaggerating, sweetheart".
Turning her head to face him, Dallin smiled small;
"you are…very good too, Joey".
He let out a happy sigh;
"thank you, Dill".
Smile widening, she told him;
"I make you coffee…and Dick knows you are here".
Liebgott snorted;
"what'd he say?"
"He is not happy but…he is happy you're here and no longer lost".
"I get it". Liebgott mumbled while picking up his mug of coffee, "should I look for work here?"
Propping up her pillows, Dallin leaned against them;
"I don't know". She said, "we can go anywhere, right?"
"Yup". Liebgott confirmed, "I've got a license to cut hair, sweetheart. We can go anywhere".
"Here is fine". Dallin told him.
"Great". He said, "I'll find a place…you -uh – you 'wanna look with me?"
Facing him, she raised an amused eyebrow;
"you want to live with me, Joey?"
Liebgott grinned;
"when you're ready, sure".
She smiled;
"fine…I look at houses with you, Joey".
Before he could thank her, Dallin pressed her lips against his.
When the kiss ended, Liebgott smiled;
"do you remember that kiss we had in the forest?"
"I do". Dallin confirmed softly, "it was…very special".
"It was".
